The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas is currently underway, serving as the global stage for SoundHound’s most critical product reveal to date. The company has officially unveiled Amelia 7, a massive upgrade to its conversational AI platform. This launch marks a pivotal transition for the industry: the shift from generative AI to agentic AI.The timing of this rally aligns perfectly with the January Effect. This well-known market phenomenon often sees beaten-down growth stocks rebound during the f ...

Core Insights - Wall Street experienced a mixed start to 2026, with the S&P 500 rising 0.2%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average increasing by 0.7%, while the Nasdaq fell by 0.3%. The small-cap Russell 2000 index outperformed with a 1.1% gain [2] Small-Cap Stocks Outlook - The early strength in small-cap stocks may signal the potential return of the "January Effect," where smaller companies' stock prices typically rise more in January due to year-end tax-loss selling [3] - Several macroeconomic factors are expected to support small-cap stocks in 2026, beyond the January seasonal pattern [5] Catalysts for Small-Cap Rally - **Favorable Macroeconomic Outlook**: Easing interest rates are anticipated to enhance small-cap stock performance, with Goldman Sachs highlighting compelling opportunities driven by expected rate cuts and accelerating earnings [6] - **Attractive Relative Valuations**: U.S. small caps are trading at a 26% discount to large caps, near historic lows, while international small caps are at an 8% discount despite higher forward earnings growth [7] - **Domestic Economic Advantages**: Small-cap companies benefit more from domestic revenue sources, positioning them favorably amid trends like reshoring and infrastructure development [8] - **AI as a Beneficiary**: Small caps may gain disproportionately from AI-driven productivity improvements, leading to larger percentage earnings growth compared to large caps [9] - **Increased Market Activity**: A rise in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and a recovering IPO market in 2026 could create significant returns and validate small-cap valuations [10] Investment Strategy: ETFs vs. Individual Stocks - Investors may prefer small-cap ETFs for exposure due to the diversification they offer across over 2,000 companies, mitigating risks associated with individual stocks [11][12] Recommended Small-Cap ETFs - **Vanguard Russell 2000 ETF (VTWO)**: Offers exposure to 1,989 U.S. small-cap stocks, with a 12.2% increase over the past year and net assets of $13.7 billion [14][15] - **iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM)**: Provides exposure to 1,959 small public U.S. companies, gaining 12% over the past year with net assets of $74.42 billion [16][17] - **Vanguard Small-Cap ETF (VB)**: Covers 1,331 small-cap companies, with an 8.8% rise over the past year and net assets of $68.9 billion [18][19]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the potential for growth in three AI-related stocks—NVIDIA Corp., Micron Technology, Inc., and Palantir Technologies Inc.—due to the "January Effect" and ongoing demand in the technology sector driven by artificial intelligence [2][4]. Group 1: NVIDIA Corp. - NVIDIA is expected to experience strong growth driven by demand for its AI hardware, particularly its next-generation Blackwell chips and cloud GPUs [5]. - The easing of U.S.-China trade tensions, highlighted by the approval of H200 AI chip shipments to select customers in China, is seen as a positive development for NVIDIA [6]. - NVIDIA projects fiscal fourth-quarter 2026 revenues at approximately $65 billion, with a margin of plus or minus 2% [7]. - The company's expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 55.9%, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPS at $4.66, reflecting a 12% year-over-year increase [8]. Group 2: Micron Technology, Inc. - Micron's high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips are in continuous demand, supporting growth in 2025 and expected to continue this year [9]. - The company anticipates fiscal second-quarter 2026 revenues between $18.3 billion and $19.1 billion, mirroring revenue growth seen during the dot-com bubble [10]. - Micron's projected earnings growth rate for the current year is 278.3%, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPS at $31.36, indicating a 185.9% year-over-year increase [11]. Group 3: Palantir Technologies Inc. - Palantir is positioned for growth due to the increasing adoption of its Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) among U.S. government and commercial clients [12]. - The company expects total revenues for 2025 to be between $4.396 billion and $4.400 billion, indicating growth in both client segments [13]. - Palantir's expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 42.5%, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPS at $0.73, reflecting a 52.1% year-over-year increase [14].

Core Insights - The Zacks Equity Research team has highlighted stocks including Amazon.com, Palantir Technologies, TotalEnergies, and MIND Technology in their recent analysis, focusing on their performance and market outlook [1][2]. Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) - Amazon's shares have outperformed the Zacks Internet - Commerce industry over the past six months, with a gain of 4.5% compared to the industry's 2.4% [4]. - The company projects Q4 2025 net sales between $206 billion and $213 billion, with operating income expected to be between $21 billion and $26 billion, indicating operational efficiency gains [5]. - AI integration is enhancing personalization and logistics, strengthening Amazon's competitive position, although substantial capital expenditures for AI infrastructure may strain financial resources [6]. Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) - Palantir's shares have significantly outperformed the Zacks Internet - Software industry, gaining 32.3% compared to a decline of 6.5% in the industry over the past six months [7]. - The company has $5.4 billion in cash and no debt, providing strong liquidity and visibility, while its AI strategy is driving growth in both government and commercial sectors [8]. - Despite a 122.5% increase in share price over the past year, intense competition and rising costs present challenges, leading to a neutral rating on the stock [9]. TotalEnergies SE (TTE) - TotalEnergies' shares have outperformed the Zacks Oil and Gas - Refining and Marketing industry, with a 5.9% increase compared to the industry's 1.7% over the past six months [10]. - The company is benefiting from contributions from startups and well-spread LNG assets, with a focus on generating 15-20% of sales from low-carbon business by 2040 [11]. - However, security concerns in some production regions and acquisition-related risks pose challenges to its operations [12]. MIND Technology, Inc. (MIND) - MIND Technology's shares have gained 11.4% over the past six months, although this is below the Zacks Technology Services industry's gain of 15.4% [13]. - The company secured a $9.5 million seismic contract in December 2025, indicating improving demand, and has expanded its Huntsville facility to support higher-margin throughput [14]. - Despite recent gains, declining revenue and backlog highlight demand volatility, and rising operating expenses may pressure profitability [15].

Market Overview - The market opened positively on the first trading day of the new year, with the Dow up by 139 points (+0.29%), S&P 500 up by 35 points (+0.51%), Nasdaq up by 235 points (+0.93%), and Russell 2000 up by 13 points (+0.53%) [1] - The Nasdaq experienced a remarkable +39% gain from April tariff lows, while the Russell 2000, S&P 500, and Dow saw gains of +33%, +32%, and +24% respectively [1] January Effect - The "January Effect" refers to strategies that lead to higher market growth at the start of the year, influenced by tax-loss harvesting, year-end bonuses reinvested into the market, and a generally positive outlook for the new year [2] Economic Challenges - Potential headwinds for the upcoming year include tariffs, employment insecurity, and rising healthcare costs, which may impact U.S. consumer spending and economic growth [3] - A possible federal government shutdown is anticipated as Congress reconvenes [3] Tariff Adjustments - Some tariffs are being rolled back for the new year, including those on furniture and Italian pasta, indicating a recognition of affordability issues both domestically and internationally [4] Upcoming Market Activity - A more normal trading volume is expected to resume with the first full trading week of 2026, and any potential "January Effect" may manifest next week [5] Employment Data - Jobs Week is approaching, with key reports including ADP private-sector payrolls and the Employment Situation report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, following a weak month for job growth and a rising unemployment rate [6] Manufacturing Report - The final S&P U.S. Manufacturing report for December is expected to remain above the growth threshold at 51.7, although it reflects a decline from the previous reading of 51.8, marking the lowest level since mid-summer [7]

Key Takeaways Pre-market Futures Start 2026 Nicely in the GreenIs This the Start of the "January Effect"?Next Week Begins "Jobs Week;" Today Beings Us Manufacturing DataFriday, January 2nd, 2026We start the first trading day of the new year — Happy New Year, everybody! — in optimistic territory, following a modest December overall, which saw the Santa Claus Rally peter out and the tech-heavy Nasdaq close in the red for the month. Currently, we’re +139 points of the Dow (+0.29%), +35 on the S&P 500 (+0.51%), ...

Market Performance - The U.S. stock market is experiencing a subdued finish to 2025, with major indexes trending lower for the fourth consecutive session [1][2] - The S&P 500 is down approximately 0.2% to 0.3%, the Nasdaq Composite has declined about 0.1% to 0.3%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average has slipped around 0.2% to 0.5% [2] - Despite the recent pullback, the Nasdaq Composite is expected to conclude the year with a gain of over 21%, the S&P 500 with a 17% increase, and the Dow with a 13% advance [3] Economic Outlook - The U.S. stock markets will be closed on January 1, 2026, for New Year's Day, with trading resuming on January 2, 2026 [4] - Key economic indicators and corporate earnings will be closely monitored in early January, including Initial Claims and the ISM Manufacturing report [5] Corporate Developments - Nike shares advanced by 4.3% after CEO Elliott Hill purchased approximately $1 million worth of shares [7] - Meta Platforms, Inc. saw a 1.1% rise in shares following its acquisition of AI startup Manus [7] - Citigroup Inc. shares declined by 0.8% after approving the sale of its Russian unit, expected to result in a $1.2 billion pre-tax loss [8] - Boeing gained 0.6% on securing an $8.58 billion U.S. Air Force contract [8] - Intel shares rose by 1.7% as Nvidia completed a $5 billion investment in the company [8] Notable Decliners - Micron Technology shares were down 2.7%, despite a year-to-date gain of 248% [9] - Broadcom fell by 1.1%, and Ares Management Corporation saw a significant decline of 3.4% within the S&P 500 Index [9] Year-End Reflection - Investors are reflecting on a year characterized by robust gains, particularly in the technology sector driven by AI advancements, alongside periods of volatility influenced by geopolitical events and shifts in monetary policy [11]

All right. First and foremost, Vicki, are you an agre are you a believer, not agreer, a believer in the Santa Claus rally. >> Uh, I think so.But last the last two years, we've had a really nice rally. Even though Santa Claus didn't come to Wall Street, we still we still saw some nice rallies in here. I think the January January barometer, the first five trading days, January effect, all of it combined can be very powerful.I'm not going to panic if Santa doesn't come to Wall Street. I'm expecting really like ...

Core Insights - In 2025, businesses experienced rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), impacting their growth trajectories, while concerns about an AI bubble and macroeconomic challenges dampened stock performances. However, beaten-down stocks are expected to benefit from the January Effect, presenting opportunities for investors to acquire fundamentally strong stocks with promising earnings growth prospects [1][10]. AI Industry Trends - The integration and adoption of AI across various sectors are anticipated to be significant growth catalysts, enhancing operational efficiency, optimizing supply chains, and improving decision-making processes. Companies investing in AI-driven analytics and automated customer engagement are likely to see improved margins and accelerated growth [3][10]. - The global AI infrastructure market is projected to reach $758 billion by 2029, driven by strong demand for compute and storage hardware. Global AI spending is expected to exceed $2 trillion in 2026, up from an estimated $1.5 trillion in 2025, indicating robust investment momentum [4]. Company-Specific Insights - **nCino**: This company is expected to drive demand in 2026 with its AI-powered solutions. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for nCino's fiscal 2026 earnings is 89 cents per share, reflecting a 36.92% year-over-year increase, despite a 21.7% decline in stock value over the past year [5][7]. - **Global-e Online**: Benefiting from AI integration, the company is enhancing efficiency and customer experience. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its fiscal 2026 earnings is 94 cents per share, indicating a 177.06% year-over-year increase, although shares have dropped 27.4% in the last year [8][11]. - **GitLab**: This company is experiencing strong demand for its AI-native DevSecOps platform. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for GitLab's fiscal 2026 earnings is 88 cents per share, showing an 18.92% year-over-year increase, despite a 33% decline in stock value over the past year [12][13]. - **Samsara**: The company has introduced advanced AI capabilities, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2026 earnings at 50 cents per share, reflecting a 92.31% year-over-year increase, despite a 16.9% decline in stock value over the past year [14][15].

Desk with screens and a snow globe showing January effect stock chart, reflecting small-cap ETF seasonality. Key Points In the new year, small-cap names may be poised to take off based on seasonal investing patterns. Two ETFs to consider for broad small-cap exposure are the DISV and the ISVL. As a counterbalance to these funds, the DFAU is an often-overlooked broad-based U.S. equities ETF. Interested in Dimensional International Small Cap Value ETF? Here are five stocks we like better. Though inve ...